Planes for Ukraine

Floor Speech

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Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, and still I rise. And I rise today with a very simple message: Those who believe that if we leave the world alone, the world will leave us alone are entirely wrong.

Madam Speaker, the world would find its way to our door as it has done so now with Ukraine.

I had the honor of hearing the President of Ukraine speak this morning, and if there is something I came away with without question it is this: It is that this war is about more than Ukraine. It is about freedom-loving people wherever they may be. It is about people who will not tolerate seeing women and babies being killed live on television. It is about a belief that if you can do something to end an injustice, you have to do it.

This is why I rise today to say, Madam Speaker, that if there is a vote for planes for Ukraine, I will vote to support planes for Ukraine. And I will do so because I believe that this is needed for their defense.

While some would say: But the defense currently would not be planes because they don't have to fight planes--that they are using long-range projectiles to bomb Ukraine--my point is this: Let's not wait until the skies over Ukraine have been darkened with Russian planes before we send the help that they need.

I don't mind the world knowing that we are part of this. I don't think we can allow a standard to be set such that in the future the precedent is if you send in planes you are escalating. I think if we send in planes, we are meeting the challenge that is necessary to defend Ukraine.

Again, those who believe that if we leave the world alone it will leave us alone are entirely wrong. This is about liberty and justice for all; government of the people, by the people, and for the people of Ukraine and the rest of us as well. This is about freedom-loving people wherever they may be.

If there is a vote for planes, then I will vote for planes for Ukraine.

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